Over 8,000 households in Southport are set to lose the automatic free TV licence for those 75 and over, after a decision to make drastic changes to the concession.

The BBC has been looking to scrap free TV for the elderly after the Conservative government managed to offload the cost of it onto the broadcaster by 2020, something the BBC warned it simply could not afford.

Labour had established the concession back in 2000 in a bid to help pensioners with issues such as social isolation. Last year it was revealed during the BBC consultation on the issue that 40% of older people described television as their main source of company.

The broadcaster has though now decided to replace the age group's universal concession with one linked to Pension Credit, saving it half a billion pounds a year. It's thought that up to three million households across the country will lose their entitlement.

Liz Savage, Labour's Parliamentary Candidate for Southport, says many local elderly residents will be affected by the decision:

"Sadly, this was always on the cards once the Government forced the BBC to foot the bill for free TV for the over 75's. The Tories knew exactly what they were doing and simply wanted to push the blame for the cut onto the broadcaster. It won't be that easy.

Only around 2,000 households locally will qualify under the new rules, which means that over 6,000 Southport homes face losing their free TV licence from next year.

Now many local elderly will be forced to make a harsh choice of either going without their main source of company and information or possibly going without other necessities. It's heartless and is just the latest in a series of attacks on the elderly by the Conservatives."

Tom Watson MP, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Shadow Culture Secretary, responding to the conclusion of the BBC’s TV Licence consultation, said:

“It is an outrage that this Government is overseeing the scrapping of free TV licences for 3 million older people, leaving a Tory manifesto promise in tatters.

“In the same week that Boris Johnson has championed tax cuts for the rich, the Conservative Government has delivered yet another ruthless welfare cut to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“I challenge all Tory leadership candidates to honour the commitment they made in 2017. You cannot means test for social isolation. You cannot means test for loneliness. Millions of elderly and isolated people will lose because of this announcement - Labour will fight it with everything we’ve got.”

Good,
There is no need for a blanket freebie just because of your age. Low income I don't have an issue with. Same goes for the winter fuel allowance. I know people who where embraced to get it and used to donate the money to those more in need.

I am sure that if Labour made a manifesto promise that free TV licences for over 75's would be safe and then passed this debt on to a third party who can't afford to provide then the Tory Bile and Vindictiveness Dep't would be working overtime, but then this Government have previous for passing THEIR duties on to underfunded Councils so they can spew the "It's not OUR fault" excuse out.

I am happy to pay £3 a week to have programmes not ruined by commercial breaks every few minutes and long may it continue.

That will be a salvation for the elderly - the c..p that BBC put on TV now!
Seriously, I doubt that any of the elderly in need will lose out, but reporting that fact does not attract a photo shoot.

How would you know you don't watch tv!

BBC output recently has been fantastic, Killing Eve, Years & Years, Summer of Rockets, Line of Duty, The Bodyguard, Keeping Faith, Peaky Blinders, Cardnial, The Looming Tower, The Victim and Mother Father Son to list several.

Proposed tax cuts for the wealthy, courtesy of clown Boris, but they’ll stop subsidising tv licences for those least able to afford it. About right for this shambolic shower we have running/ruining this country at the moment.

Proposed tax cuts for the wealthy, courtesy of clown Boris, but they’ll stop subsidising tv licences for those least able to afford it. About right for this shambolic shower we have running/ruining this country at the moment.

As above - no one in genuine hardship will lose out. Can we have some sensible political news instead of the usual facile tory baiting from this woman!!!!

Wrong, only those in receipt of pension credit will continue to receive the free TV licence, that leaves a hell of a lot of elderly on low fixed incomes who will struggle to find yet another addition to their expenses.

The BBC did some public consultation, shuffled the results to suit their wishes and announced the results during the leadership elections hoping they could hook a contender to promise to pay.

They could have had a haircut on wages or put the licence fee up by a few pounds but no they decided to pursue some pensioners because after all SOME can afford it .

The usual names bandied around Mick Jagger etc ........

The problem is the people making these decisions are completely detached from the realities of living on a meagre income.
In BBC la la land the licence fee is the bill for a meal out discussing peasants up north and how to frustrate brexit.